Teaching Bullying and Peer Pressure in High School ELA with The Outsiders
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Looking for a powerful, discussion-rich movie to anchor your next bullying or character education unit?
High school teachers across the country are turning to The Outsiders (1983) as a literature-based movie activity that tackles bullying, class division, and emotional maturity — all while engaging students through action, conflict, and relatable characters.
Why The Outsiders Is the Perfect Movie to Teach Bullying in ELA
Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s iconic novel, The Outsiders explores what happens when teenagers are trapped by peer pressure, toxic loyalty, and a culture of violence. Students are quick to recognize the parallels to modern bullying — both physical and emotional — making it an ideal resource for any anti-bullying week, character education module, or SEL-integrated English lesson.
“You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still lots of good in the world.”
— Johnny Cade, The Outsiders
What ELA Concepts Does This Movie Reinforce?
Using The Outsiders helps reinforce several essential Common Core standards and ELA skills, including:
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Character analysis (Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally, Cherry)
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Theme exploration (identity, social class, loyalty, violence)
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Point of view & narration
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Comparing novel vs. film adaptation
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Making inferences based on character choices
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Conflict resolution and consequences of violence
Perfect for:
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High School ELA (Grades 8–12)
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Substitute teacher lesson plans
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Bullying prevention month
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Novel unit wrap-up
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SEL-infused learning
Ready-to-Use Teaching Resource
Want an engaging, no-prep guide that makes this movie educationally rich?
✅ Includes time-stamped questions
✅ Designed for critical thinking and SEL connections
✅ Works with Google Slides or print
👉 Get the full Outsiders Movie Guide here:
🔗 The Outsiders Movie Guide | Film Questions & Worksheet
Teaching Tip: Use Key Scenes to Spark Discussion
Here are three powerful scenes to pause and discuss:
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The park fight scene
How do peer expectations escalate violence?
What choices were available that could’ve changed the outcome? -
Johnny and Ponyboy in the church
How does isolation change their thinking?
What does this say about emotional growth? -
Dally’s breakdown after Johnny’s death
What happens when someone feels like they’ve lost everything?
How do we support people dealing with pain and trauma?
Final Thoughts
The Outsiders remains one of the most effective tools for helping teens reflect on bullying, identity, and belonging. It's raw, real, and resonates with students who may not respond to traditional lessons — making it an essential addition to your ELA classroom toolkit.
Explore the full movie guide and elevate your classroom discussions today: